Greta Gerwig Narnia Editor Hints They’re Disregarding Source Material — “We’re Doing Our Own Take”

Andrew Weisblum, an editor associated with the upcoming Netflix Chronicles of Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew, adaptation has said he is not referring to original source material “on a film (whose) source material is very well-known.” Although he never mentions Narnia specifically, fans have already connected the dots, as this is the most “well-known” property Weisblum is working on at the moment.

Weisblum’s Comments

Andrew Weisblum, who has been reported to be working on the post‑production team for the Narnia film, described his general approach to book adaptations in a recent interview about a different movie. The report was published on a film news website.

Skandar Keynes as Edmund Pevensie in The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005), The Walt Disney Company

Weisblum, best known for his work on films including The French Dispatch and The Whale, spoke about another adaptation, Caught Stealing, during an interview on the Art of the Cut series. In that conversation, he said he did not use the source material for Caught Stealing.

He then mentions another “well-known” property he’s working on, noting that he also would not be using the source material for that as well. Considering the lasting impact the Narnia series has had for generations, it’s not hard to connect the dots.

“I did not read [Caught Stealing]. I thought about it and decided the film is not being made exclusively for people who are aficionados of the book, and I want the story to be clear for people who love the book or people who don’t.

I needed to keep my objectivity as much as possible in reading the script and in communicating what needed to be communicated in the film, not subconsciously rely on information that I had from the book that maybe wasn’t being conveyed in the movie, if that makes sense. It needed to stand alone. The story needed to stand alone.

You know, it’s funny, I’ve worked on a bunch of projects that are based on source materials, some more well-known than others. And right now, I’m working on a film that’s very well, the source material is very well known. Once again, I’m choosing not to refer back to that material because we’re doing our own take on it. You know, we did our own take on that.

I think that’s been true pretty much every time, not to treat any material, even the script, as sacrosanct, because you have to listen to the movie, listen to the footage, listen to the performances, and be open to rewrite or rethink things that aren’t 100% what they need to be.” — Andrew Weisblum

The Upcoming Adaption

The Netflix Narnia adaptation is being directed by Barbie director Greta Gerwig for Netflix. Reports indicate that production wrapped in early 2026 at studios in the United Kingdom, with post‑production now underway.

The film is based on The Magician’s Nephew, a novel by C.S. Lewis and the first chronological entry in the Chronicles of Narnia series. It will hit theaters on November 26, 2026, and stream on Netflix on December 25, 2026.

William Moseley as Peter Pevensie, Liam Neeson as Aslan, and Anna Popplewell as Susan Pevensie in The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005), The Walt Disney Company

Casting reports and rumors suggest Emma Mackey will play Jadis, the White Witch; Carey Mulligan will portray Mabel Kirke; Daniel Craig will take on Uncle Andrew; and Meryl Streep is heavily rumored as the voice of a gender-swapped Aslan.

Netflix has not released an official Narnia cast list confirming all of these names, and some reports remain unverified.

The questions now becomes, “How closely did the writers stick to the source material?” Given that Meryl Streep may voice Aslan, a male lion and Christ allegory, fidelity does not seem to be a high priority.

Georgie Henley as Lucy Pevensie and Liam Neeson as Aslan in The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2008), Walt Disney Pictures

At this stage, release plans for the Narnia film remain unchanged, and further statements from Netflix or the production team may clarify how closely the final movie mirrors its literary source.

Fans are Worried

Some fans have already expressed their concerns with the direction of the upcoming Narnia remake. With prior rumors pointing to Meryl Streep as the voice of Aslan, the Christ-figure of C.S. Lewis’ series, many fans are already concerned of how the series may stray from the heart of Lewis’ narrative and message.

Liam Neeson as Aslan and Tilda Swinton as White Witch in The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005), The Walt Disney Company

If the rumor is true, a female playing Aslan could be comparable to Cynthia Erivo’s portrayal of Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar. Except this time, instead of having a female play an already controversial depiction of the central figure of Christianity, this will be a female in one of the most beloved works of Christian literature of the last century.

For those hoping for a faithful rendition of C.S. Lewis’ beloved series, it’s not looking great.

What do you think of Weisblum’s comments and the upcoming Netflix Narnia adaptation? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

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